Approximately one in fifteen women in the United States can currently be expected to develop breast cancer. The majority of these cancer patients require surgical removal of the breast and underlying muscular tissue, i.e., mastectomy and radical mastectomy, respectively. Following mastectomy, there is a need for an artificial breast form, not only for cosmetic and psychological benefit, but to balance the weight and feel of the normal breast on the chest, shoulders and back.
Further, many women have very small breasts and wear a variety of padded brassieres and synthetic breast forms to increase the appearance of the size of their breasts.
Artificial breast forms have heretofore been constructed of lightweight padding (fabrics and foams) or air-filled containers. Such breast forms have the disadvantages that they ride up in a brassiere to form an uneven appearance, they do not balance the weight of the normal breast, and they lack the feel and consistency of normal breasts.
Recognizing the importance of a weighted artificial breast form, prior breast forms have been filled with heavy, solid materials such as metal or sand or with liquids such as water or a variety of viscous fluids or with gels varying from starch gels to silicone gels.
Weighted breast forms, particularly those fluid-filled and gel-filled forms, have produced an improvement in weight, movement and feel of the artificial forms, but they all have had the disadvantage that they tend to collapse when the wearer reclines. Further, they leak when accidentally punctured. In addition, previously developed breast forms have been covered with impermeable membranes which have acted as containers for the inner core substance. Such membranes, because they are impermeable to air and liquid, have been made from rubber or plastic materials. Impermeable membranes covering artificial breast forms have the disadvantages that they trap heat and perspiration when placed against the chest, they have the feel of rubber or plastic, which is not a lifelike quality, and because the membranes must contain the inner core, they are relatively inelastic and thus unlike human skin.